Vegan Buffalo Chicken Sandwich (gluten free)
Feb 19, 2021 • Updated Jun 20, 2023
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How to Make Vegan Buffalo Chicken with Cauliflower
We’re making a hearty Vegan Buffalo Chicken sandwich with cauliflower, a vegan buffalo sauce and avocado based ranch style sauce! It’s the perfect combination of spicy, creamy, herby, tangy and it’s made with 100% plants. Serve it on your favourite gluten free bread (as needed), add a little bit of tomato, lettuce and pickles if you’d like and enjoy.
To make, we’re going to follow my buffalo cauliflower recipe. Start by preparing a homemade buffalo sauce made without any added oil or butter. Whisk together sauce ingredients like hot sauce, tahini, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup for a touch of sweetness, lemon juice of acidity and spices and herbs. Prepare cauliflower by breaking down a head into bite sized florets.
Next, to create vegan buffalo chicken, batter your cauliflower with a gluten free mixture of flour, plant milk and spices, then bake in the oven. Dunk your cauliflower into your buffalo sauce, bake again and then you’re ready to assemble your vegan buffalo chicken sandwich. Layer your cauliflower on top of some vegan ranch (you can make your own) and any other veggies and enjoy!
This recipe makes about 2 large sandwiches if you really pack the cauliflower in, but if you end up with leftover vegan buffalo chicken bites you can always enjoy them on the side or save for later.
Best Gluten-Free Bread for Sandwiches
While the batter and the buffalo sauce used in this recipe are gluten free, just be sure to use a gluten free bread if you need to. I recommend a pre-sliced gluten free bread, but you can always turn this into a wrap or pita as well. Some of my favourite vegan and gluten free bread brands include Little Northern Bakehouse, Food For Life and Cocobakes. Related: A full list of recommended storebought vegan and gluten free bread options!
No matter what bread you decide to use, do be sure to give it a light toast before serving, and smother with a generous layer of vegan ranch. Alternatively, you could spray a pan or skillet with a little neutral oil or a pat of butter to get it nice and golden.
Baking vs. Frying Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
When you’re preparing your vegan buffalo chicken bites, you can either bake them or fry them. Frying will give them more texture and flavour, but baking keeps the sandwich a little lighter overall. You can also prepare them in an airfryer for something light and crispy at the same time.
If you’re in the mood for something heartier, don’t be afraid to fry, but the recipe will walk you through baking steps.
More Vegan Lunch Ideas
- Vegan “Cashew E Pepe” Pasta
- Vegan Baked Feta Pasta
- Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup
- Thai Red Curry Noodles
- Roasted Cauliflower and Quinoa Dressing (via Ambitious Kitchen)
Vegan Buffalo Ranch "Chicken" Sandwich (gluten free)
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower chopped into florets
- 1/3 cup gluten free flour of choice
- 1 cup plant milk more as needed
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- pinch of salt and pepper
- vegan buffalo sauce
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 3 –4 tbsp hot sauce
- 1 –2 tsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp gluten free soy sauce tamari or liquid aminos
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp smoked paprika
- avocado ranch sauce
- 1 cup vegan yogurt unsweetened, unflavoured
- 1/2-1 ripe avocado
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1-2 cloves garlic grated
- 1/4 tsp mustard powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tsp fresh or dried dill
- 1 tbsp fresh chives chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- to serve
- gluten free bread
- tomatoes sliced
- lettuce
Instructions
- Prepare your vegan buffalo sauce
- Whisk together all ingredients until smooth. Adjust spices to taste and enjoy.
- Buffalo cauliflower bites
- Preheat oven to 400F while you prepare your ingredients.
- Whisk together flour and spices until combined, and then add plant milk and whisk until smooth. Mixture should be thick, but still pourable.
- Coat each floret of cauliflower in your batter mixture and space out on your baking mat. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Coat each floret in buffalo sauce and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. Cauliflower is ready when lightly crisp on the edges.
- Avocado ranch dressing
- Add yogurt, avocado, lemon juice, garlic, mustard powder and onion powder to a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
- Fold in fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble sandwich
- Toast gluten free bread, spread avocado ranch sauce, layer buffalo cauliflower on top and any additional ingredients like tomato and lettuce.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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